Safety device for flying machines



July 10 S. D. JACOBSON SAFETY DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES Filed March 25. 1922 Patented July 10, 1923.

SIDNEY D. JACOBSON, OF NEW YORK, N. Y.

SAFETY DEVICE FOR FLYING MACHINES.

Application filed March 25, 1922. Serial No. 546,571.

To aft whom it may concern.

Be it known that I, SIDNEY D. JACOBSON, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the borough of Manhattan, city, county, and. State of New York, have invented an improvement in Safety Devices for l lying Machines, of which the following is a specification.

My present invention relates to devices intended to be used in connection with heavier-than-air flying machines, such as airplanes of the monoplane and biplane types for restoring equilibrium to the flying machine after it has been damaged, and also for increasing the buoyancy of such machines, and evenenabling the same to act in the manner of a parachutefwhen the machine has been damaged or even rendered 1 altogether incapable of continuing the operation of flying.

It is an object of the present invention to provide devices of the general character specified above which shall accomplish the desired purpose in a certain and efficient manner, which shall provide additional means of safety for flying machines and for the occupantsthereof, and which shall at the same time be simple in construction, Which shall interfere as little as possible with the normal act of flight when the machine is in proper condition for flying, and

which shall be certain and eflicient in operation for the desired urpose.

By way of examp e, I shall, in the accompanying specification, describe, and in the annexed drawing show, several illustrative embodiments of the present invention. It is, however, to be understood that my invention is not limited to the embodiments thereof which are herein shown and described for purposes of illustration only.

While the present invention may be applied with equal success to various types of heavier-than-air fl ing machines, it finds particularly success ul application when used in connection with airplanes, and is so shown applied.

Referring to the drawin have illustrated two forms 0 asv applied to a biplane:

Figure 1 is a view, in side elevation, of the airplane with my device applied thereto, "the balloon members being shown in deflated or inoperative position in full lines, and sin inflated or operative position ',in

wherein I my invention 7 dotted lines;

Figure 2 is an enlarged view, in perspective, of a series of balloon members in infiated r operative position;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view, on an enlarged scale, of one of the balloon members in the act of being inflated;

Figure 4 is a detailed cross sectional view, partly in elevation, of one form of valve member that may be employed for controlling the admission and exhaust of the inflat-- ing gas;

Figure 5 is a detailed cross sectional view, partly in elevation, of one of the hollow struts used for the passage of the inflating gas to the balloon members;

Figure 6 is a detailed view, in side elevation, partly broken away, showing one form of means that may be employed for -maintaining the balloon members in deflated or inoperative position; and

Figure 7 shows, in side elevation, a modifled form of balloon member.

Referring to the illustrative'embodiment of my invention shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, 10 indicates the body or fuselage of the airplane, herein shown as being of the two-seater type. The fuselage 10 is provided as usual with the runner wheels 11, the propeller l2 and the tail and rudder 13. The engine, which is generally indicated by reference character 14, is, as usual, located in the forward end of the body of the airplane.

At 20 I have indicated a lower, and at 21 an upper, plane of the biplane. These planes are, as more clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, made in the usual manner by winding properly doped or treated linen or other fabric 22, over rods 23 and 24, so that a space 25 is provided within each plane for a purpose subsequently to be set forth in detail.

The planes 20 and 21 are maintained in proper spaced relation by means of front struts 30, and, rear struts 31. The rear struts 31 are hollow, as more clearly indicated in Figures 3 and 5 of the drawing. Within each hollow rear strut 31 is a tube 32 for conducting inflating gas from the gas tank 40, securely fastened to the lower or under side of the fuselage 10, to the balloon members 50. ,T members shown, and but two rear hollow struts, one of the rear hollow struts mav contain two gas-conducting tubes 32 which lead separately to their respective balloon mem here being three balloon each other.

The gas tank 40 contains any suitable inflating gas, such as hydrogen or helium. It

is also preferred that the tank 40 shall have associated therewith a gas pressure gauge which is so positioned that it may be directly viewed by the pilot in the airplane so that he may at any time determine the condition of the pressure of the gas in the tank 40.

Each of the balloon members 50, of which three are shown, comprising a right-hand member 50*, a central member 50", and a left-hand member 50, comprises a false upper plane section 51 hinged, as at 51', to the upper plane 21 as viewed from the seat of the aviator. Attached to the false upper plane member 51 is an end balloon section 52 of any suitable flexible and gastight fabric, and two side balloon sections 53. The members 51, 52 and 53, together with the upper face of the upper plane 21, form a gas-tight compartment or balloon cavity for receiving the gas intended to inflate the same.

I prefer that the fabric of which the members 5 2 and 53 are made shall be of as strong a material as possible, preferably of a puncture-proof cloth of the sort which is well known to those skilled in this art. I also prefer that each gas bag or balloon member 50 shall be reenforced and surrounded with a network of ropes or tapes which shall take up and distribute the load carried by each balloon member so as to re lieve the same from undue strain and stress, all of which will be familiar to those skilled in this art; Each balloon member should also be provided with the usual vent for permitting the gradual escape of the inflating gas from the same, and with a rip for permitting, in cases of necessity, the sudden and complete escape of the inflating gas from any particular balloon member 50.

As is more clearly shown in Figure 3 of the drawing, the end balloon section 50 and the side balloon sections 53 are so constructed and arranged as to be neatly folded in place in the manner of an accordion pleat when each balloon section is in its deflated or inoperative condition. It will also be noted that I prefer a reenforcing rod 54: which is associated with the outer ends of the false upper plane members 51 for maintaining said plane members in alignment. This arrangement-strengthens the halloon members, arr guards the same against undue liability-tobe warped or injured 1n use.

In order to maintain each balloon member properly deflatedand neatly in position on top of the npper plane 21 so that the normll operation of flying will not be interby means of a fered with, I provide a locking member 55 pivoted as at 56 to the upper plane, and attached, as at 57, by means of a wire 58to the operating lever 60, as more clearly shown in Figures 1, 4 and. 6 of the drawing.

Communicating with the gas tank 40, as pipe 70, is a valve chamber 71 provided with a valve cavity 72 having an open air outlet 73 and a three-way valve member 74 adapted to be operated in a rotative manner, as by means of the operating lever 60. The .valve 71 is provided with a pipe 75 which leads, by means of three branch pipes 7 6*, 76 and 76, to the respective pipes 32 Within the holow struts 31 to the respective balloon members 50, 50 and 50.

Where, as may be preferred, the pipes 32 communicate directly with the respective balloon sections so that said sections are out of direct communication with each other, I prefer to provide each dpipe 32'with a check valve so constructed an arranged that gas will flow but one way from the pressure tank into the balloon members, thus rendering said members substantially independent of each other, and enabling any one or two of such members to operate in the contingency that one or more of the balloon members may be injured and thus unable to function. In such a case each check Valve may be provided with manually operable means for rendering the same inoperative so as to release the inflating gas from the balloon members, such releasing means being in addition to the vent and the rip already described'above.

Where desired, I may provide manually operable means to permit slow inflation of any one or two, or all three, of the balloon members 50. This may be desirable in those cases where, due to a peculiar injury to the airplane, it may be desirable to provide additlonal buoyancy at one or the other side of the plane, in order to restore its equilibrium, rather than evenly over the whole upper plane.

The operation of the device described above and the advantages of the same in use may briefly be summarized as follows: When, for any reason, as by reason of the occurrence of an accident which threatens to recipita te the plane to the earth, or, in a ess critical case, undesirably affects the equilibrium of the plane, it maybe debringing the gas tank 40 into communication with the balloon members 50 by means of the valve 71 and the pipes 32.

As already stated, these pipes may be continned so as to be brought into direct communication with the respective balloon I have through the partition 7 deflated .or inoperative position.

members 50, Which in this case are out of communication with each other, by extending said pipes 32 through the upper layer of the fabric forming the upper plane 21. owever, as shown, the three balloon mem bers are in communication with each other 26 in the space 25 within the upper plane being provided with perforations 27 and with an upper opening 28 leading to the space within each balloon member 50.

Upon establishing communication between the gas tank 40 and any one or two, or all three, of the balloon members 50, since said balloon members are now free to be inflated by reason of the release of the locking means 55, the same will expand at a rate, slow or fast, as desired, "dependent upon the degree to which the valve 71 has been opened by the pilot in the machine. This operation of inflation will take place in a certain and eflicient manner due to the particular shape and arrangement of the balloon members 50, and particularly of theend balloon sections 52 and the side balloon sections 53, which, as already described above, are in the form of accordion pleats when the balloon members are in deflated condition.

"Upon the inflation of the desired number of balloon members, in accordance with the particular needs of the machine, dependent upon the cause and location of the force dis turbing its normal equilibrium, the equilibrium' of the machine will be restored, its buoyancy substantially increased, and the arrangement of the respective balloon members will be such as to retard the drop of the machine and to cause the same to act somewhat in the manner of a parachute.

It will be noted that, by means of the provision of the false upper plane members 51, the various balloon members will be neatly and securely folded down in place when in In this way, the safety devices provided by me will interfere little, if at all, with the normal flying operation of the machine. F urthermore, by means of the check valves which provided, if one or two, or all three, of the balloon members are rendered inoperative by reason of some injury to the same which renders them incapable of being inflated, the remaining balloon members may be operated and may of themselves serve to save the airplane and the occupants thereof.

It will also be noted that by a single operation of the operating lever 60 I release the locking member 55, thus enabling the balloon members to be inflated, and also bring such balloon members into communication with the gas in the tank 40.

The foregoing and other advantages, which will readily occur to those skilled in the art to which the present invention relates,

21', said partition 26 I make this device one ,of great practical value, and the machine to which it is apphed of unusual safety. The device is at the same time exceedingly simple, while being also certain and eflicient in operation, light in weight, and interfering as little as possible with the normal flying operation of the machine.

The present invention may be applied with equal success to lighter-than-air flying machines, such as observation and spherical,

lVhile the lever 60 has been described.

above as being operable in a forward direction, it is to be understood that it may be so constructed and arranged as to be operated in a backward direction. Itis also to be understood that the inflating gas, such as the hydrogen or helium, is contained in the storage tank 40 under considerable pressure, and that while the gas may be released for admission to the balloon members gradually, it may also be so released suddenly for the sudden and complete inflation of the balloon-members substantially instantaneously in case of an emergency requiring such instantaneous inflation. It is also to be understood that, if desired, as many storage tanks for inflating gas under pressure may be used as there are balloon members or compartments.

at I claim is: V

1. In a flying machine, a source of supply of inflating gas under pressure, a plurality of inflatable members a tached to said flying machine, locking means for normally maintaining said inflatable members in deflated conditlon, means for releasing said locking means to permit the inflation of said inflatable members, and means associated with said releasing means and cooperating therewith for bringing said inflatable members into communication with saidsource of supply of inflating gas to inflate said inflatable members.

2. In a flying machine, a source of supply of inflatin gas under pressure, a plurality of inflatab e members attached to said flying machine, each of-said inflatable members comprising a false plane member and associated flexible members forming aballoon compartment, and said inflatable members into communication with said source of supply of inflating gas to inflate said inflatable members.

3; In a flying machine, a source of supply of inflatin gas under pressure, a plurality of inflatab e members attached to said flying machine, each of said inflatable members means for bringing comprising a false plane member and associated flexible members forming a balloon compartment, locking means for normally maintainingsaid inflatable members in deflated condition, means for releasing said locking means to permit the inflation of said inflatable members, and means for bringing said inflatable members into communication with said source of supply of inflating gas to inflate said inflatable members.

4. In a flying machine, a of inflating gas under pressure, a plurality of inflatable members attached to said flying machine, each of said inflatable members comprising a false plane member and associated flexible members forming a balloon compartment, locking means for normally maintaining said inflatable members in deflated condition, means for releasing said locking means to permit the inflation of said inflatable members, and means associated with said releasing means and cooperating source of supply therewith for bringing said inflatable members into communication with said source of supply of inflating gas to inflate said inflatable members.

5. In a heavier-than-air flying machine, a plane, a false plane member attached thereto, and members of flexible gas-tight fabric associated with said plane and with said false plane member and forming therewith an inflatable balloon compartment.

,6. In a hea'vier-than-air flying machine, a plane, a false plane member hingedly attached thereto at the forward edge thereof, and members of flexible gas-tight fabric associated with said plane and With said false plane member and forming therewith an inflatable balloon compartment.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this specification this 14th day of March, 1922.

SIDNEY n. Jaooesoa. 

